Don’t miss out on free college money. Each year, millions of students lose grants and scholarships simply because they file the FAFSA too late.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens every October and determines your eligibility for federal, state, and school-based financial aid – including Pell Grants, scholarships, and student loans.

Knowing when to apply for financial aid is critical no matter which school you’re planning to attend. There are FAFSA deadlines to meet and some funding is on a first-come, first-served basis. In other words, the longer you wait, the less chance you’ll have of receiving funding.

The opposite is also true: The sooner you apply for aid, the better your chances of maximizing the amount you’ll receive.

You can apply for the FAFSA here: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

Key FAFSA Deadlines:

• 2026-2027 FAFSA: Open October 1, 2025, Deadline is Technically June 30, 2027. But you need to fill out the FAFSA way before then! There are state FAFSA deadlines too!

Important Update For 2025 FAFSA Opening Date (For 2026-27 FAFSA)

The FAFSA will open for all families by October 1, 2025, according to the current information from the Department of Education. This is better than last year’s FAFSA, which opened on December 1.

If you’re curious about what this means for your financial aid situation, check out our Student Aid Index Chart and Calculator.

Federal FAFSA Deadline

The “technical” Federal FAFSA deadline is June 30 in the year you are applying for. You can start applying for the FAFSA as early as October 1 they year before. It is extremely important that you file the FAFSA every year.

However, your state or school may have a significantly earlier deadline.

Note: You don’t want to wait for the Federal deadline because a lot of the “best” aid is first-come, first-serve. The deadline is useful for getting last minute student loans, if necessary.

State FAFSA Deadlines

Many states set their own guidelines when it comes to providing financial aid and the FAFSA requirements along with it. 

We’ve put together a comprehensive guide on Financial Aid and Student Loans available by state, and you’ll see a lot of states requiring certain FAFSA deadlines. Make sure you check with your state if you are applying for state-based financial aid. 

Here is the list of the state financial aid deadlines.

School FAFSA Deadlines

Finally, every school may maintain their own deadlines for when to file the FAFSA, with many schools opting for a first-come, first-serve approach to providing need-based financial aid.

If you are going to need scholarships or grants to pay for college, make sure you touch base with your college’s financial aid office so that you understand any deadlines or recommendations about when to apply.

For example, many CSS Profile schools have an Early Decision requirement of having the CSS Profiel complete by November 15.

At the end of the day, earlier is usually better. 

How To Fill Out The FAFSA

If you’re not quite sure what steps you need to take, here’s our guide on How To Fill Out The FAFSA. You can also check out this infographic here:

FAFSA Deadline FAQ

Q1: When does the FAFSA open for 2026–27?

A: The FAFSA for the 2026–27 academic year opens on October 1, 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Q2: What is the federal FAFSA deadline for 2026–27?

A: The federal FAFSA deadline is June 30, 2027, but many states and schools have earlier deadlines. Always apply as soon as possible after October 1.

Q3: Do states have different FAFSA deadlines?

A: Yes. Each state sets its own deadline for state-funded grants and scholarships. Some award aid on a first-come, first-served basis, so check your state’s website for exact dates.

Q4: Should I file the FAFSA even if I think I won’t qualify for aid?

A: Absolutely. Many scholarships and federal student loans require a completed FAFSA — even for students who don’t qualify for need-based aid.

Q5: How long does it take to complete the FAFSA?

A: Most applicants can complete it in 20–30 minutes online, especially if they use the IRS Direct Data Import tool to import tax information automatically.

Final Thoughts

When you are going to college, you should apply for the FAFSA every year. Beyond eligibility for scholarships and grants, the FAFSA is also what you need to get student loans.

You should apply for the FAFSA as early as possible. It’s relatively easy to do online, and will take about 20-30 minutes of your time. The bottom line is, don’t miss the deadline, and apply early.